


Twin Sized Mattress

by FlowersNblueskies



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - No IT (King), Eddie has tattoos, F/M, M/M, Rebel Eddie Kaspbrak, Teendad!Richie, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:27:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27447115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlowersNblueskies/pseuds/FlowersNblueskies
Summary: Eddie Kaspbrak is tired of being told who he is. Tired of expectations and ideals of his mother. His love life is in the dumps and the losers are growing up, and in that slowly losing each other in the growing pains. To make matters worse eight months ago Richie Tozier left Derry without a word to his friends and is suddenly back for his senior year with a big secret.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough/Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36





	1. This is For the Snakes and The People They Bite

Chapter 1.

“You're oblivious Ben.” The boy in question went quiet, a brow quirking as he turned to look at Mike.

“What’d I do?” Even the way he spoke sounded clueless at times.

“It’s about what you didn’t do. The ice cream girl was obviously flirting with you.” Bill’s typically pale face was sunburnt from their entire summer spent at the quarry, and scrunched up the way it was, Eddie couldn’t help but wonder if it hurt his reddened cheeks. Maybe the look on his face was jealousy, Eddie thought, or maybe it was realization that Beverly would see the changes Ben went through over the summer. Perhaps it was both. Eddie definitely noticed the boy’s change, sure, but this was Ben.  
Shy, brotherly Ben and that’s all Eddie had to say on the subject. He was jealous in a way, Ben had grown, standing over six feet and distributing his weight well whereas Eddie hadn’t grown too much. But, Bill stood an inch shorter than he did and Eddie was glad for that inch. He felt better knowing Bill was smaller, less alone, in some weird way. Eddie changed too. He ditched the fanny pack and stopped allowing his mother to dress him.

“Doesn’t matter. Ben cares about girls with red hair.” Mike chuckled, slinging an arm around him, “Or at least one that we know of.” Neither Ben nor Bill commented, focusing on their individual ice creams to avoid the obvious.

“How about you, Eddie? Got your eye set on someone this year?” Stan asked, adjusting the sunglasses perched on his nose.

The question caught him off guard, and he almost choked on his spoonful of mint chocolate chip ice cream. He’d had exactly one relationship, which had ended not too long ago, but it’s not like the other guys knew. “Nope.”

“Maybe you should be asking him what classes he’s got his eye on.” Bill mumbles over his vanilla ice cream.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The copper-haired boy lifted his hands in defense, a small smile on his face, “Don’t get so defensive Eddie, I just meant you don’t really date you know.” But he did. A summer ago, Eddie admitted his feelings for one of his closest friends and thus began the best, and only, relationship of his life. But of course that best friend just had to go and fuck it all up.

“Not with Mrs. Kaspbrak.” Mike cracks an apologetic smile.

“If I wanted to date,” His face twisted up, annoyance on his face, “I can.” But that wasn’t true. Not really. Sonia Kaspbrak was a specific woman, he knew that much, he could date who she wanted him to just as long as she deemed the girl good enough. There were two problems with this: No one was ever good enough for him, according to his overbearing mother, and he simply wasn’t interested in girls.

He never officially came out. At least not really. He was pretty sure Bev knew, and Stan was much too inquisitive to have not noticed, even Richie didn’t know when Eddie confessed.  
His eyes got wide behind his thick glasses and his cheeks turned a bright shade of red and for a second Eddie thought he was gonna be disgusted or worse, punch him. But really he doubled over in obnoxious laughing, _“I never told you how I felt about you because I thought you would never be into me.”_

Eddie could never forget the way the weight left his shoulders when Richie pulled him close and laughed into the nook of his neck. Now, Eddie was mad. He knew that, but really he missed the way he’d bury his face there, his laughter vibrating against the tanned skin of Eddie’s neck or how his shoulders would shake and he’d wrap his spaghetti noodle arms around Eddie’s waist. Not that he would ever admit it.

Richie left the week after Christmas break, just weeks after the two broke up. Really, Eddie didn’t know if he was angrier that Richie broke his heart or ran away mere weeks after, not so much as a call since.

It changed Eddie, it really did. The others saw the changes too. He didn’t really dress like he used to, and he did things he didn’t even want to think about. But he liked that. He was tired of everyone thinking they knew everything about him, of his mom dictating every moment of his life. That’s how he’d gotten his first tattoo. It was just after Richie left, and he’d gotten into a fight with his mother. He couldn’t even remember over what it had been about and yet he found himself at the kissing bridge with tears streaming down his face and a phone in hand. That night he called Bev and she came to console him, a six-pack in hand. It was the first time Eddie ever got drunk.

 _“This is disgusting.”_ Eddie groaned, choking down the heavy amber liquid. _“Why would you drink this?”_

 _“It’s good for heartache.”_ She stared down at the can with a somber look. And Eddie didn’t know how she knew but made no effort to question it. That night he ended up walking Bev home, even if he’d had more to drink than her, and she placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek, in a truly friendly fashion. _“It’ll get better, Eddie. Promise.”_ Eddie ended up on a bus with the remainder of their six pack and four drinks were enough for the seventeen year old to get hammered.  
He didn’t remember anything else from that night but he woke on Bill’s floor with a killer hangover and a pair of stars tattooed on his chest.  
The next day, Eddie had a panic attack because he thought they were gonna get infected, or he would contract some sort of disease from what was probably a rusty needle. Beverly had to talk him down for hours to calm him.

“Do you guys think Richie will come back?” Stan asked, as the four boys moved toward the parking lot.

“P-probably not.” Bill said, annoyance clear in his voice. Bill was just as hurt as everyone else, and he almost always spoke for the losers collectively, this was no different.  
Eddie felt Stan’s glance, and when he’d looked back at the boy he could see the apologetic look on his face. It’d been eight months of knowing looks and apologetic looks for Eddie, far too many he thought,at first he’d appreciated it now all it did was annoy him.

“Not like we’re dying for his presence.” Eddie shrugs, and pushes his ray-bans higher up on his nose. “I don’t know about you guys but maybe this year Bowers will fuck with us just a little less.” The others hum quietly in agreement. It was no secret that Richie was a large part of the bullying the group faced, always cracking a bad joke at the wrong time. He’d never failed to piss off Henry Bowers, a super senior and an overall asshole, and he never knew when to shut up. It was a gift and a curse.

“We’re seniors now, boys.” Mike says with a smile, that smile only Mike Hanlon can produce.

“Yeah hopefully no more getting stuffed into lockers.” Ben laughs, as Stan looks angry, arms crossed.

“Correction, you guys are seniors.” And Eddie instantly feels bad for him. Stan was the youngest of the group and a year behind, and he absolutely hated being reminded of it. At least, hopefully when Stan is a senior Bowers and his gang would finally be out of high school probably day drinking and committing hate crimes anywhere else but the halls of Derry High, after all no one ever really seemed to leave Derry. You were born there and eventually you would die there. Not Eddie though, not if he could help it. He would be in New York. In college, or maybe he’d be working on cars. That was what he liked to do in his down time and he would love to make it a full time gig if he could. A year was a long time away though, especially when time seemed to move like molasses in Derry.

"How was f-first period with Mrs. L-Lenard?" Bill asks as though he didn't know she was the most boring Math teacher in existence. It was like watching a documentary in language Eddie didn’t understand.

"How do you think it went, genius?" Eddie groans, "The slowest hour of my life. "I didn't know it was humanly possible for-"

"Guys," Ben interrupts coming up to the pair, his brows raised in surprise, "Guess who was in my A.P. math-"

"We get it Ben, you're smart." Eddie rolls his eyes, before shoving his book into his locker, "anyways-"

Ben sighs exasperated, "Eddie-" Then Eddie’s breath caught in his throat. Out of the A.P. Math classroom came Richie. He’d looked different then he did eight months ago, lankier, maybe even skinnier and somehow even paler skin. His hair had grown out a lot, curly and part of it tied back out of his face. And for a moment Eddie was happy to see him. To know he was okay. That feeling was gone in less than ten seconds when he’d realized Richie Tozier was back in Derry and didn’t even try to get a hold of him.

“Oh.” It was all he could muster up as his face dropped.

“Did he s-say anything to you?” Bill asks, looking just about as pissed as Eddie felt.

“It was like he’d never even met me.” And just like that the small spark of fire Eddie felt in the pit of his stomach felt like a dumpster fire. And to make matters worse Richie caught his eye across the hall. Even from this distance he could see the dark circles under his dark eyes, He wasn’t wearing his glasses probably opting for contacts. Eddie was even more angry, Richie hated putting his fingers anywhere near his eyes, he didn’t even know who this guy was anymore. Eddie’s feelings were about to be put in words when he saw a red head storming in the boy’s direction.

“Tozier!”


	2. For the Friends I've Made, For the Sleepless Nights

Richie Tozier was thirteen years old and in love with one of the best friends he could ever ask for. And what brought this realization on? Two words; Henry Bowers. It took Richie a couple of hours to fully grip what had happened.

It didn’t completely settle in until his mother had called him for supper, like she did every night. Like Henry Bowers didn’t out him to the entirety of his favorite arcade, like word didn’t travel fast in a small town like Derry. There was no way his parents hadn’t heard. Maybe they would question it at dinner, or maybe they’d be angry. Angry enough to kick him out. All the way to the table Richie dragged his feet and tried to not focus on the bile rising in his throat.

When he’d first sat, and his mother sat a plate in front of him, like she often would, usually piled with all five food groups and she would scold him to eat his vegetables. Not this time, instead on the ceramic sat his favorite dish. Mac and cheese with so much artificial cheese the noodle was practically undetectable.

This was, clear as day, a peace offering. That night Richie ended up almost crying at the dinner table.

 _“We got a good one, Maggie.”_ Wentworth had said with such pride as he clasped a hand over his shoulder before digging into his own plate. Richie couldn’t bring himself to speak as he stared down at his plate. He didn’t have to.

 _“We sure did, Went.”_ She’d ruffled his hair on the way to her spot beside him, pretending not to notice the fact that his glasses were taped at the side. That could wait for another time. _“You need a haircut, Richie.”_

That was as far as the conversation went. All that needed to be said was shown that night in small actions and Richie was glad for that, even four years later he’d never quite had a serious conversation on the topic with them. But they knew and that’s all that mattered. That terror before they accepted him, that fear in the pit of his stomach so bitter it felt like it was making a hole in his intestines, was plaguing his gut as the red head came barreling toward him.

“Hey, Bev.” He offered a nervous smile, only to be met with Bev swatting his shoulder.

“Don’t hey Bev me!” She swatted him again, a few times over as she talked. “Where have you been? What the hell happened?”

“Okay, okay, first of all,” He’d rubbed his shoulder, staring down at the angry red head, “ow!” She doesn’t answer for a second instead pulling the lanky seventeen year old into a hug.

“I’m still so unbelievably pissed at you Richard Tozier but I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry Bevvie.” he hugs her tightly for a moment before separating himself from the girl, “I promise I’ll explain soon.”

“Yeah, you’d better.” Stanley Uris stood before the pair, arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Stan the man!” Richie exclaimed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, “Still uptight?”

“Still annoying?” Stan groaned but he was smiling anyways, “It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back, man.” He says, before casting his gaze across the hall. Ben, Bill, and Eddie still stood there, even as the halls emptied. Ben for the most part looked relieved, Bill and Eddie however, looked angry. Eddie had shoved the last of his books in his locker, before slamming the door closed. He’d definitely looked different from the last time he saw him, a bit taller, his hair was longer and gelled, and he no longer dressed like a child’s gap magazine. It was strange how much he’d changed in such a short amount of time.

Richie slowly raised a hand, waving it in the slightest. Eddie grumbled something to Bill, before storming off down the hall. And just like that the feeling was back. He’d get back into Bill’s good graces, of course he would, and Ben would get over it almost immediately, but not Eddie. 

Ben waved back, a welcoming smile on his face, albeit a bit confused. He’d probably been wondering why he didn’t try to talk to him during class but Richie really did have a good reason. School was important for him this year. It was his final year and a privilege that he’d even gotten to go, if it weren’t for his parents he would have dropped out. They told him he needed to finish, to get a diploma and not just for his future.

“How’s it hanging, Haystack?” He shouted, before winking in Bill’s direction, “Big Bill?”

“F-fuck off Tozier!” He glared at the boy, anger clear on his freckled face before stalking off down the hall.

“He just needs a second too cool off,” Ben says, crossing the hall to stand with the group, “We didn’t think you were gonna be back.”

“Well I am.” He said, strangely stoic. “Look, I gotta get to class.”

“Since when did you care about punctuality, Trashmouth?” Bev raises a brow as Richie bruises past them.

“Do you wanna meet up later? We could go down to the Quarry and you could explain why you disappeared last year?” Richie doesn’t stop at Stan’s question as he walks down the hall to his science class.

“I got plans tonight.”

  
  


In his last period, Eddie could barely even think straight. Not when Richie waltzed into the classroom and sat a few rows in front of him. He was back just like that, and he didn’t even apologize. Not to Eddie. When he was gone, at least Eddie could pretend like he didn’t exist. That wasn’t an option now, not when his ex-best friend and boyfriend was just sitting there, and actually paying attention.

This was not the Richie Tozier Eddie knew, he hadn’t made a single joke since class started, he took notes, answered questions he was asked.

“Pst, Kaspbrak!” Charlie Hockstetter whispered, tossing a crumple of paper at him. Charlie was Patrick’s younger brother, but for some reason he liked Eddie well enough. The note read an address of a boy Eddie didn’t know very well, followed by a simple word. ‘ **_Friday?’_ **

And despite knowing how bad of a hangover he would have the following morning he nodded over toward the boy. It would be good for him to let loose and forget his troubles. After all he had a decent amount of them. 

“Eddie, Charlie,” Mrs. Kepner said, the whole room turning to look at the two, “Something you two would like to share with the whole class?”

“No, ma’am.” Eddie says, but he knows he’s got an amused smirk on his face, he knew what he was doing when Richie’s brows rose, he was telling him he wasn’t the only one who’s different.

“Alright then.” She said, giving them another cold stare before returning to her lesson. The rest of class was boring, Kepner droned on about the book they would be reading, and how homework would be a larger part of their grade this year. Eddie didn’t care too much. All he cared for in that moment was the sound of the bell. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I am currently sick (not a great time given the uh pandemic and all) and now have some free time, I've had this story idea for a while and because I'm quarantined I have a little time to write it. Thank you for reading, If you got this far of course I appreciate it very much. This chapter was a little slow but it'll pick up here soon!


End file.
